The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876

About this book

The work is a scholarly survey of the United States’ official medals from the nation’s founding through the centennial of its independence. It opens with a formal dedication to the late diplomat Elihu B. Washburne, followed by an extensive introduction in which author J. F. Loubat explains his purpose: to catalogue the eighty‑six medals struck by congressional authority, to trace their artistic origins, most of which were executed by French engravers, and to situate each piece within the historical events it commemorates, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. The opening pages also contain Loubat’s notes on the rarity of such medals, the limited occasions on which Congress authorized them, and the intricate correspondence that guided their design and production.

Written in the measured, erudite prose of a late‑19th‑century historian, the text blends meticulous documentary detail with a reverent tone toward the subjects it records. Its style reflects the author’s background as a member of the New‑York Historical Society and a decorated European knight, offering a blend of American patriotic narrative and European artistic appreciation. Readers with an interest in numismatics, early American history, or the visual culture of medals will find the book’s exhaustive descriptions and accompanying etchings by Jules Jacquemart especially rewarding.